How to change a tail shifter to a side shifter ?

[keoneeli]

I have heard that I can change my 5 speed tail shift transaxle to a side shift transaxle. Is this true, or is it a rumor ?

Any help would be very grateful! What do you gear - heads know? Please enlighten me.

Thanks fellas,

David ( keoneeli ) Cawdrey

[Dave at Pelican Parts]

Hey, Dave! I already answered you on the Club site, but for completeness I will repeat here.

The short version:
The transaxle and the whole shift linkage, from transmission to gear shift lever, gets swapped over for the stuff from the later car. This means the motor mount bar, the motor mount brackets, the rubber inboard and solid outboard mounts, also get swapped. And probably the lower left engine tin piece. You also use a "converter bushing" for the hole in the firewall.

If your tail-shifter is in really good shape, you can scavenge the shift rails and forks from the side-shifter and use those. But that requires disassembling the transmission, so it is a lot more work than just the bolt-in swap. (And you'll still need the linkage, the bushing, and the motor mount stuff swapped over.)

--DD

[keoneeli]

Dave,

Did you see my edit post? What I am trying to do is change my tail shifter transaxle, case and all, over to the side shifter transaxle. I am thinking that if it is possible? I am asking because my tail shifter is a 5 speed, and my side shifter is a 4 speed. So, is it easier to use all the guts from the tail shifter and put them into the side shifter, to make the side shifter a 5 speed side shifter transaxle?

Or, is it easier to make the tail shifter a side shifter transaxle?

Do you understand what I am trying to do with both of my transaxles?

I do really know that you can change the tail shifter over to a side shifter transaxle, but that is not what I am trying to do.

Got my madness?

Thanks again, Dave!

[Dave at Pelican Parts]

As I mentioned in my last paragraph, you can swap in the shift rails and forks from the side-shifter into your tail-shifter. It does require disassembling the transmission to do so. (Which means you have to measure the paper shims between the intermediate plate and the transmission housing, and so on.) I think you will need the jig for the forks, but I am less sure about that. You'll also be swapping the rake piece, and the side shift console that's sticking out the side of the transmission.

The Doctor Evil transmission rebuild DVD (ping him on the World!) shows how things come apart and go together.

You can keep the old tail-cone if it's in good shape, just leave the old bit of linkage in place to plug the hole in the tail-cone. Or swap to the side-shifter's tail cone if it's in good shape.

No matter what you do, you'll need to swap over the whole linkage and the motor mount bar and brackets and such.

--DD

[Turboman]

Dave, your answer to David Cawdrey, is interesting.
Is a question I asked myself for about 30 years, how to convert the transmission of my 914-6 to side shift. Keeping the original transmission for "car value" reasons.
Can you develop a bit more about this conversion?
Does anyone have photos of such a conversion?
Thanks
Francisco

[Dave at Pelican Parts]

First, remember that your Six transmission has a somewhat different linkage than the early four-cylinder cars have. It is still a tail-shifter, but it does not have as many changes of direction and fiddly joints as the -four tail-shifters have.

The easiest thing to do would be to swap the whole transmission, as I mentioned to Dave above. However, with a Six you will have to modify the later-style rear shift rod. The most common way is to fasten the late rod to a board, cut out the center bent section, and weld in a piece of straight rod in its place. If you don't do this, the bent part of the rod will foul the Six exhaust. You'll still need to use the rest of the late linkage, including the gear shift lever, of course. I don't know if that affects the hand throttle, though.

Again, you could use the shift forks and rails, plus the side-shift console and rake, from the later transmission. That assumes you are OK with opening up the tail-shift box and modifying it.

--DD

[Turboman]

Dave, is tempting, I need to think about and find a not so nice side shift transmission in order to get the parts needed. Thanks
Francisco

[keoneeli]

DD,

I have a '73 914, and it came with a side shift transaxle. I was just told that all transaxles are 5 speed? I didn't know that! I swear that when I drove the car for the first and only time, I thought that it was a 4 speed side shift transaxle. So, if I have a '73 914 with a side shift transaxle, it is, for sure, a 5 speed side shift transaxle? I do know that it is a side shift, but I didn't know that they are all 5 speeds? Is that correct? I swear, I thought it was a 4 speed?

So, I didn't know, when I bought the tail shift transaxle, I thought that it was special, because it was a 5 speed transaxle? That is not the case? They are all 5 speeds?

I guess I now have a tail shifter transaxle up for sale! Damn! I bought this for no reason?

If anyone wants a tail shifter transaxle, it is for sale, cheap!

Thanks DD, for all your help!

David ( keoneeli ) Cawdrey

[Turboman]

Keoneeli, all 914s are 5 speeders. Wish you luck selling your tail shift transaxle.
Francisco

[Dave at Pelican Parts]

Yes, all 914s came with five-speed transmissions. (Except the Sporto cars, but there were very few of them, only Sixes, so we don't need to consider them.)

A number of 914 gearboxes have been converted to four-speeds by people doing V8 conversions or similar swaps, as first gear is a bit weak and an engine that produces lots of low-end grunt doesn't need the very low 1st gear nearly as much.

--DD